Bottle cap



P 1941- G. H. HUTAF F, JR 2,255,256

BOTTLE CAP Filed Dec. 29, 1938 gwue/rvfom' 650,96: //a m F6229.

' WWW Patented Sept. 9, I941 nnrrsn STATES PATENT OFFIQE BOTTLE CAP George H. Hutaff, Jr., Wilmington, N. o.' Applicatio'nDecember 29, 1938, Serial No. 248,326

1 Claim.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in bottle caps of the so-called crown type and the principal object of the present invention resides in the provision of a cap of the character described which may be readily removed from the bottle month without the use of the usual form or forms of bottle cap removers.

A furtherobject of the invention consists in the formation of the cap of two members, one of which is adapted to be engaged with the bottle mouth whereas the other is adapted to be placed over and interconnected to the first- .mentioned member, the second-'mentioned member including a relatively narrow flange portion terminating above the bottom edge of the flange portion of the first-mentioned member and adapted to be readily engaged by the fingers and raised relative to the first-mentioned member, to be used as a lever in tearing a portion of the first-mentioned member for releasing the same from its tight engagement with the bottle mouth.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a bottle cap of the character described which is formed of two sections or members, one of said members being adapted for engagement with the bottle mouth and provided with a cut-out portion and weakened portion whereas the other member is adapted to be positioned over the first-mentioned member and is provided with an integral strip portion adapted to be engaged beneath the cut-out portion of the first-mentioned member, the second-mentioned member being adapted to be released from the first-mentioned member and used as a lever for raising the cut-out portion of the first-mentioned member and tearing a strip from said member along the weakened portion thereof.

Still another object of the invention consists in the provision of a cap of the character described which is formed of two sections or members, interconnected, said members being adapted for engagement with the mouth of a receptacle as a unitary structure while one of the members may be released from its associated member to be used as a lever in removing the other member from the bottle mouth, said lever member, through its interconnection with the other member being adapted for tearing a portion of said other member to release the cap from the mouth of the receptacle.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention consists in the novel details of construction and arrangement of parts, described 55 in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and while I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of the invention, as they now appear to me, it will be understood that such changes may be made as will fall within appended claim.

In the drawing- Fig. 1 is a top plan of the assembled cap.

Fig. 2 is'a side elevation of the-assembled cap. v Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section through the assembled cap.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the upper cap member.

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan of the upper cap member disclosed in Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a top plan of the lower cap member.

My improved form of cap includes an upper or top member indicated generally at a and a lower or bottom member indicated generally at bythe members a and b being normally assembled as indicated more particularly in Figs. 1,

2 and 3 of the drawing and adapted to be placed on the mouth of the bottle or other receptacle as a unitary structure by any well-known form of capping machine. As has been stated in the objects of the invention the cap is adapted to be removed from the mouth of the bottle or other receptacle without the use of the usual form of bottle cap remover or other implement and this is of particular advantage in that often the bottle cap remover is not available or is temporarily misplaced. With the form of my invention, disclosed in the present application, the cap may be readily removed by the fingers.

The upper or top member includes the top portion I, depending flange 2 and integral strip or tongue 3, this tongue or strip 3 extending from and secured to the flange 2, as shown at 4,and adapted to be folded to a position interiorly of the cap, as shown more particularly in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawing, to extend parallel with the inner face of the top portion I. The free end of the strip or tongue 3 is bent downwardly to extend parallel with the inner face of the flange 2, as shown quite clearly by dotted lines in Fig. 4 of the drawing with a projecting portion 5, which extends below the bottom edge of the flange 2, as shown more clearly in Fig. 4 of the drawing. The end of the member or projecting portion 5 is curled, as shown at 6, to extend beneath the bottom edge of the inner member 22 as shown more particularly in Fig. 3 of the drawing.

The inner member b includes the top portion the scope of the I and depending flange 8, the flange 8 being corrugated or fluted in the usual manner, as is shown. The top portion 1, of the inner member b, is provided with the circumferentially extending slit or opening 9 to provide the cut-out portion [0, the ends of the slit or opening 9 being spaced, as shown at H. Extending from each end of the slit or opening 9, to the edge of the top 1 and then vertically through the flange 8, is a weakened line l2 of perforations or indentations. These weakened lines being spaced, as shown, provide a strip therebetween which may be torn in a manner to be later brought out. The cut-out portion I is formed with a straight edge l3 providing .an opening M in the top of the cap of a greater width than the slit or opening 9. The usual cork insert 15 will be positioned in the bottom or lower member I), as shown in Fig. 3.

Having fully described the detailed construction I will now endeavor to more clearly bring out the manner of use. The member-s a and b are adapted to be assembled, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawing, and applied to the mouth of the bottle or other receptacle as a unitary structure, in the usual manner; by any of the well-known forms of bottle capping machines. The member a will be positioned over the member b with the upper portion of the member I) nested therein, the upper member covering the slit or opening 9 of the lower or bottom member. When thus assembled the strip or tongue 3 will be extended through the opening I l-to lie beneath the top portion 1 of the lower member and parallel therewith. The projecting portion 5, of

the strip or tongue 3 will extend parallel with the inner face of the flange 8 at a point between the weakened lines l2 with the curled portion 6 extending beneath the bottom edge of the flange 3, as shown more particularly in Fig. 3 of the drawing. It will be noted that the cork insert or disc I5 will aid in holding the strip or tongue 3 against the inner face of the top portion 1, of the member I), and that the curled portion 6 will form a proper connection between the parts to permit the tearing of a portion from the bottom member as will be brought out. With the parts assembled, as shown, the cap may be applied to the mouth of the bottle or other receptacle in the usual manner, and form a tight connection therewith to prevent any leakage. When it is desired to remove the cap the operator engages his finger beneath the flange 2, of the top member a, and pushes upwardly thereon to position the member a at an angle relative to the member b. Then by pulling upwardly on the member a the cut-out portion H], of the member b, will be raised by the strip or tongue 3 and the member b will be torn along the weakened lines l2 to tear a strip from the top portion 1, between the ends of the cut-out portion l0 and a vertical strip from the flange 8. The bottom member will then be released from the mouth of the bottle or other receptacle so that it may be easily removed. It will benoted that the opening I4 is of suflicient width to allow the strip or tongue 3 to pass therethrough.

In a cap constructed of the two nested portions, when desired, material of somewhat less width or thickness may be used than is the case in caps formed of only one portion or thickness.

Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A bottle closure including separate top and bottom cap-shaped members each including a top portion and a depending flange, the members being normally nested and adapted to be applied to the bottle as a unitary structure, the bottom memberhaving an opening forming a partially severed part and the top member normally overlying and closing the opening but adapted to be used as a lever for removing the bottom member from the bottle, the top member having an integral part extending .from the bottom edge of the depending flange and bent to be positioned through the opening in the bottom member and secured beneath the partially severed part for interconnecting the members for removing the partially severed part by tearing a portion of the bottom member when the top member is raised and used as a lever.

GEORGE H. HUTAFF, JR. 

